Orthodox Versus Unorthodox

Not too long ago, the publishers of Deborah Feldman’s book, Unorthodox, were kind enough to send me a copy of the book.  Unfortunately, I have yet to finish it so I’m not in a position to write a complete review.  I have read enough to know that it is a fascinating look inside of Satmar Hasidism and one young woman’s journey out of Hasidic Judaism.

The phenomenon of going “off the derech” (off the path, often abbreviated as OTD) is growing as more and more young people  – from every walk of Jewish Orthodox life – leave their communities.

My informants in the Orthodox Jewish community tell me that there has been a great deal of consternation over Feldman’s book.  Gavriella Lerner, who is identified online with Chabad and blogged about her pursuit of a Masters Degree, gave voice to this in the Sisterhood blog of the Forward:

I can understand that Feldman…[has] endured a lot of pain. I also understand that our communities do have some social problems that require serious thought and addressing. However, talking to tabloids or writing sensationalized “tell-all” memoirs or mocking the mikveh on “The View”…are not the answers.

Orthodox life is not for everybody, I get that. I only ask that in return that women like Feldman…respect those of us who find beauty and meaning in our rituals and way of life.

What I find interesting about the complaints over Feldman’s book is that they also are coming from the non-Hareidi Orthodox.  Or in Lerner’s case, from a highly educated woman involved with a more open group of Hasidim.  I wonder how she would feel if she had been denied the right to pursue a Masters Degree, or even a basic education as happened to Feldman?  Or as  Leah Vincent asked her on another post at the Forward:

…[T]o me, a writer who has left Orthodoxy and is, indeed, “shopping around my ex-frum story,” your post got me wondering: Is your version of Orthodoxy significantly different than the one these women were raised with?

If the answer is yes, how can you possibly determine what kind of response they should have to their experiences? If your brand of Orthodox Judaism is close enough to ultra-Orthodoxy that you feel attacked by their going public, then we have a bigger problem on our hands.

I hope I do have the chance to complete Feldman’s book soon.  In the meantime, here’s her short interview on ABC’s “The View”.